Doctoral Dissertation Research: Supply Chain Governance in Supermarkets' Localized Sourcing Strategies

SES-1103078辛西娅·辛瑞斯杰西卡·布鲁姆宾夕法尼亚州立大学这项研究将治理理论应用于沃尔玛公司？S努力增加本地化农产品采购，作为其当前可持续发展计划的一部分。作为世界上最大的零售商，沃尔玛的企业政策对其内部供应链和零售业的外部影响力都产生了深远的影响。治理理论概述了用于管理供应链的具体机制，以及私营企业在监管农业食品系统中发挥的越来越大的作用。这一理论视角突出了资源、风险和利益如何在实际供应链内和更广泛的社会层面上分配的影响。这项研究提出了三个相互关联的问题：1)哪些显性和隐性的规则和做法是可持续的？在沃尔玛的本地化农产品供应链中？2)这些规则和做法是如何作为供应链治理的一种形式实施的，包括出现的有助于协调任何新的供应链关系的网络？3)本地化农产品采购的框架和实施中的这些转变如何影响农民？作为供应商参与的能力和消费者获得负担得起的农产品的能力？这项研究将使用定性研究方法，对沃尔玛在美国东南部和洪都拉斯中部的本地农产品采购工作进行地区性比较案例研究。该方法包括分析可持续发展是如何在沃尔玛的公开文件中被框定和定义的；采访参与的生产商和为促进本地化采购计划而形成的组织网络；以及评估对研究地区消费者获得当地农产品的影响的空间分析。更广泛的影响。这项研究通过关注企业话语如何与实地过程相互作用来确定本地化供应链的治理，促进了关于农业食品系统变化和重组的驱动因素、过程和影响的社会学知识。通过为各种生产者打开更多的市场机会，由于运输效率提高而提供环境效益，并改善低收入消费者的机会，超市可能处于促进向更可持续的当地食品系统过渡的理想地位。这项研究的分析结果将阐明由大型私营公司采购新的本地农产品的实际好处和缺点，从而为教育、干预和政策提供更广泛的信息，以加强农业食品系统的可持续性。

SES-1103078Cynthia HinrichsJessica BloomThe Pennsylvania State UniversityThis research applies theories of governance to the Wal-Mart corporation?s efforts to increase localized produce sourcing as part of its current sustainability initiative. As the largest retailer in the world, Wal-Mart's corporate policies have far-reaching consequences, both in terms of its internal supply chains and external influence within the retail sector. Theories of governance outline the specific mechanisms that are used to manage supply chains, as well as the increased role that private corporations play in regulating the agri-food system. This theoretical lens highlights the effects of how resources, risks and benefits are distributed both within actual supply chains and at a wider societal level. This research poses three inter-related questions: 1) What explicit and implicit rules and practices are framed as ?sustainable? in Wal-Mart's localized agri-food supply chains?, 2) How are these rules and practices implemented as a form of supply chain governance, including the networks that emerge to help coordinate any new supply chain relationships?, and 3) How do these shifts in the framing and implementation of localized produce sourcing affect farmers? ability to participate as suppliers and consumers' ability to access affordable produce? This research will use qualitative research methods to develop comparative regional case studies of Wal-Mart's local produce sourcing effort in the Southeast United States and Central Honduras. The approach includes analysis of how sustainability is framed and defined in Wal-Mart's publicly available documents; interviews with participating producers and the networks of organizations that form to facilitate the localized sourcing initiative; and spatial analyses to assess implications for consumer access to local produce in the study regions. Broader Impact. This research advances sociological knowledge about the drivers, processes and impacts of change and restructuring in the agri-food system by focusing on how corporate discourse interacts with on-the-ground processes to determine the governance of localized supply chains. By opening up increased market opportunities for a diverse range of producers, providing environmental benefits because of transportation efficiencies and improving access for low-income consumers, supermarkets may be ideally positioned to facilitate a transition to a more sustainable local food system. The analysis that results from this research will illuminate the actual benefits and drawbacks of new local produce sourcing by large private corporations, thereby informing education, interventions, and policy more broadly directed at enhancing the sustainability of the agri-food system